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The NYU Entrepreneurial Institute marked the launch of its 2025 Summer Launchpad (SLP) on June 10, welcoming a cohort of 11 innovative teams on the path to refining their business models, gaining traction, and positioning their ventures for scale and funding.
Week 2 Recap:
Ask-Me-Anything Session: Caren Maio (Gallatin ‘07), Co-Founder & CEO of 100
Many founders equate a “successful exit” with reaching the finish line — but what if that moment is just the beginning of another journey?
In her AMA, Caren Maio opened up about the less-glamorous side of entrepreneurship — the fatigue, the burnout, and the often-overlooked aftermath of selling your startup. Maio walked the teams through her personal experience of pouring her heart into a venture, hitting that euphoric milestone of acquisition … and then feeling unexpectedly hollow.
Her reflections reminded us that an exit can trigger a profound identity shift: who are you when the business you built stops defining you? Burnout doesn’t end with the deal — it can follow, especially amid the emotional toll and uncertainty of what comes next.
But there’s hope. Maio shared how stepping back, rediscovering her purpose, and embracing a slower pace fueled her resurgence.
Check out the full recap of Maio's AMA.
Workshop: Problem Validation & MVP Refinement
Next, the teams took a deep dive into user-centered innovation during a workshop led by Rebecca Sperling (Stern ’18), a former IDEO design strategist and current startup advisor. Drawing from her expertise in product and service design, Rebecca guided teams through frameworks for validating customer problems and refining their MVPs. With a focus on uncovering real user needs and iterating quickly, the session equipped the founders with practical tools to build solutions that truly resonate.
Workshop: Managing Boards
Last but not least, Alex Iskold (Courant ‘00) — 5x founder, NYU instructor, and partner at 2048 Ventures — joined the SLP cohort to lead a workshop on How to Manage a Board. Drawing on his experience as a former Managing Director at Techstars NYC and his systems-thinking approach to early-stage investing, Alex walked the founders through best practices for building and running an effective board. From setting clear expectations to leveraging board members as strategic partners, the session gave teams a practical roadmap for navigating one of the most critical aspects of startup leadership.
